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tv   CNN Newsroom  CNN  December 24, 2012 6:00am-8:00am PST

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thanks for joining us this morning. we hope you have a wonderful christmas eve. alina, it was wonderful being on with you the past three hours. >> and we'll be back here tomorrow christmas day. thanks, dana. "cnn newsroom" with carol costello starts right now. twas the day before christmas, and malls around the country expected to be packed. millions of last-minute shoppers scurrying to stores to finish their shopping list. are you one of them? plus this. >> shame on the nra! ban assault weapons now!
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>> remember her? she disrupted a live statement by the national rifle association. how did she sneak past that big sign -- how did she sneak that big sign past all that security? we'll ask her live. politicians, dignitaries, and even a musician. cnn tallies your votes for the most intriguing person of the year and counts them down for u and a small kid making a big difference. this little girl wins a trip of a lifetime to paris, and her actions after that get support from the whole community. >> dear santa, i'm gabriela, the one with the tumor. this is my motto, and i think you should use it too. you might have a bad day today, but there's always a bright star to look forward to tomorrow. >> hear what she did to help dozens of other children fulfill their wishes. "newsroom" starts now.
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good morning. i'm carol costello. thank you so much for being with me. christians around the world are getting ready to celebrate christmas, which marks the birth of their lord and savior jesus christ. here's a live look at bethlehem, where people are beginning to gather for the midnight mass at the church of the holy nativity. bethlehem is described in the bible as the birth place of jesus. about 2 million people make the pilgrimage to bethlehem each and every year. pope benedict expected to deliver his christmas mass in just a few hours at st. peter's basilica in rome. he has a book out debunking several myths about now the nativity unfolded. for one thing, he says the accepted date of jesus' birth is several years off. he points to a 6th century monk for the mix-up. shoppers are flocking to the mall for another christmas
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tradition, that would be last-minute shopping. about 17 million people expected to be in the malls today. many may find good bargains too. alison kosik is in new york. you probably get the best price on things today. >> you would think so. if you ever had any doubts that we're not a nation of procrastinators, think again. 17 million people out in the stores just today. believe it or not, it's not as many as the number of people who hit the stores on black friday weekend. still "consumer reports" put out a survey they conducted september 10th through 17th, and look at what they found. 67% of shoppers, they're not done yet shopping. 14%, they haven't even begun. so today is the first day they're starting their christmas shopping with hours to go. as you said, carol, you're probably going to find a lot of bargains out there for toys, winter clothes, and other items retailers want off their shelves by january. that's not what last-minute shoppers are likely looking for surprisingly. well over half told "consumer
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reports," they'll just grab a gift card at this point. wine and liquor, they're also popular last-minute shoppers. 27% said they'll give cash. and 4% said, i'll give you an iou. >> come on. >> there are 4% who say, oops, i owe you one. there are a lot of cyber shoppers out there too, carol. comscore says online shopping is up 16% last -- 16% this year because last week alone we spent almost $4 billion just online. that's up 53% from 2011. by most measures, it's been a huge year for online retailers, carol. >> let's talk about the weather. it must be affecting delivery to midwest states hit by the snowstorm the past couple of days, and they're expecting another storm soon. >> it is affecting things. it's not a huge concern. there may be some tlas fdelays for packages, hoping to make it on time for christmas. fedex put out a service advisory
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saying it expects delivery issues in several states, including iowa, michigan, wisconsin, and nebraska. it also says contingency plans are in place. we didn't see service advisories on u.p.s.'s website or the postal service website. what's adding to this is really that surge in online shopping i just told you about. it's got a direct impact on the shipping business. these shippers, they just had a huge increase in volume this holiday season, and some of the biggest single days ever. listen to this. u.p.s. says it made 28 million deliveries just last thursday. fedex says it moved 19 million packages on its busiest day. even the postal service says it moved a whopping 658 pieces of mail on december 17th. the weather is complicating issues. packages may arrive late in some places. carol? >> you're right about that. i mailed some packages last thursday, and u.p.s. told me i had a 50-50 chance of them getting there by christmas day. i'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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>> fingers crossed. >> alison kosik, thank you. we have to talk politics. with the president and congress spending christmas away from washington, prospects seem weak before a deal on the fiscal cliff deadline on december 31st. retiring senator joe lieberman puts the potential failure in historic perspective. >> i feel it's more likely we will go over the cliff than not, and if we allow that to happen, it will be the most colossal, consequential act of congressional irresponsibility in a long time, maybe ever in american history. >> when i listen to the president, i think the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes. i think he sees a political victory at the bottom of the cliff. he gets all this additional tax revenue for new programs. he gets to cut the military, which democrats have been calling for for years, and he gets to blame republicans for it. >> so, hey, merry christmas.
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our white house correspondent brianna keilar is traveling with the president in honolulu. brianna, are the white house and republicans even talking? >> reporter: no. they're not, carol. there's no substantive discussions going on between the white house and senate democrats and senate republicans and house republicans. and this is key because in order for the cliff to be averted, there will need to be something passed through congress in both the senate and the house that would require the work of both democrats and republicans. that is very much an issue as all attention now turns toward the senate, which will reconvene on thursday. a lot of focus there. that's where things are expected to start. right now the white house is still saying that they want a plan to avert tax hikes for folks making $25000 or less. it's sort of unlikely, it seems, that republicans would support
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th that, but senate majority leader harry reid needs to figure out a way to cobble things together that they will get republican support in the senate and the house. carol, there is a significant chance -- and this is the truth we're hearing both publicly and privately from democrats and republicans -- that we could go over the fiscal cliff. >> well, enjoy the beach there then. i mean, what do you say at this point? you've just got to keep your fingers crossed and your toes and everything else. brianna keilar reporting live from honolulu this morning. let's talk about the gun control debate because it's intensifying following the connecticut school shooting massacre. the nra's president wayne lapierre went on nbc's "meet the press" this weekend saying call him crazy for wanting to put armed security officers in schools. he doesn't mind. nra president david kean told
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cbs' "face the nation," a ban on assault weapons won't stop mass killings. >> we debated this before. we had a so-called assault weapons ban for ten years. we had what senator feinstein is suggesting. it was allowed to expire. the fbi, the justice department, and others who studied it said it made no difference. >> if it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our school to protect our children, then call me crazy. >> despite the national rifle association's opposition to any new gun laws, president obama insists an action is not an option when it comes to protecting children. while democrats and republicans are upset over the massacre in newtown, the country remains polarized on the issue of gun control. cnn's senior congressional correspondent dana bash is in washington. we know that some lawmakers came forward and expressed interest in introducing legislation about gun control, but i guess the question is will they really in the new year? >> reporter: it really -- the
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reaction, especially and even among republicans to the nra idea is sort of muted at best. it's not a lot of enthusiasm on capitol hill for the idea of the federal government stepping in and endorsing the idea of all schools having armed police officers. never mind funding it. listen to a couple of senators, starting with a republican. >> we had an armed guard in columbine. we had an assault ban. none of it worked. we're talking about preventing mass murder from nontraditional criminals. people who are not traditional criminals, who are not wired right for some reason. >> since we passed the brady law, the assaults are down. we need to keep working on this, and there are lots of different solutions. >> just because the republicans may not be running to this idea
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that the nra put forward does not mean that they are going to support the first piece of legislation we're going to see in the new congress on this issue, which is a bill to reinstate the assault weapons ban. and most importantly, carol, it's not just the republicans who might be skittish on that. it's also a fair number of moderate democrats who are up for re-election in the next cycle, 2014, who are from red states, who simply will not even talk to reporters about the idea, much less endorse the idea of supporting any kind of new gun control measures yet. >> even now. you would -- well, i'm being naive, i know. if you have strong feelings about it, after what newtown happened, don't constituents want to know what their legislators think? why not just embrace what you think even if you say, well, i don't think gun control laws should be put into place in america. >> if i told you it was tough politics, would you be shocked? that that's the reason why. but in all fairness, i think
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that the political realities and the fact it is politically tough, despite what happened in newtown for a lot of politicians to do anything to anger the gun rights enthusiasts. and we're talking about, as you reported, a 4 million member organization, it's tough for them to do that. i think also, everybody is just trying to kind of work through what could be possible legislatively, and for those who are in politically perilous situations, there's no benefit in them jumping on a piece of legislation before they really take the time and see what they may or may not have to vote on. >> dana bash reporting live from washington. if you were watching the nra's announcement on friday, you could not help but see this. >> the nra has blood on its hands. shame on the nra. ban assault weapons now. >> that was medea benjamin. she was the second protester to disrupt the meeting.
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she's co-director of the peace group code pink. does this make any sense at all. she'll join us live to answer that question. we also asked you to pick the most intriguing people of the year. who's your number one? we'll show you, along with the rest of the top ten. [ woman ] ring. ring. progresso.
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it is 15 minutes past the hour. time to check our top stories. here's great christmas news. after months at a mexican prison, a former u.s. marine reunites with his family. john hammer on his way to i asurfing vacation in costa rica. he was arrested by mexican authorities on a questionable gun charge. u.s. lawmakers stepped in on
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hammer's behalf helping secure his release. in money news, got milk? it may cost a lot more to say yes if the new agriculture bill passed by dairy farmers is not passed by congress, they would be forced to buy milk at twice today's price. that could push the price of milk up to more than $7 a gallon. could you imagine paying more than $7 a gallon for milk? visible from the space station? maybe. it's really bright and attracts visitors from far and wide. it's the home of jan stewart. for the second straight year, she's covered the house with more than 65,000 christmas lights. she says she does it in memory of her late husband. some of her neighbors say it's -- well, it's more appropriate for the vegas strip. you helped us pick the most intriguing people of 2012. the results are now in. they include headliners from politics, sports, business, and entertainment. here's brooke baldwin with the top ten. >> earlier this month, cnn.com
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readers cast ballots from our list, narrowing it down to ten. ready for the results? here we go. the top ten most intriguing people of 2012. number ten, supreme court chief justice john roberts. >> the united states supreme court in a major decision, a 5-4 decision, upholds the president's health care reform law. >> you could have imagined the deciding vote was cast by the chief justice himself. conservatives stunned. liberals perplexed but thrilled. forging ahead, the roberts court takes on same-sex marriage. number nine, yahoo! ceo marisa meyer. at 37, head of a major tech company, a ceo in a male dominated field, pregnant. it's the baby part that became problematic, shall we say, when meyer decided to take just a couple of weeks for maternity leave. the mommy blogosphere went nuts.
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sure, she could be woman in charge, but what message was she sending by not staying home longer with her baby? number eight, south korean rapper psy. ♪ gangnam style >> say what you want, his lasso inspired dance style first discovered on youtube had everyone going gangnam. and we mean everyone. >> the lasso again and then the horseback. >> psy was riding high in 2012, star performer in the most watched youtube video of all time. ♪ hey sexy lady >> number seven, republican presidential candidate mitt romney. >> this election is over, but our principles endure. >> is romney ran on his
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impressive business credit l shsh -- credentials, but it was his multiple gaffes that helped seal his fate. remember the 47% comments? >> the 47% who are with him -- >> oh, and this one. >> binders full of women. >> number six, ex-cia director general david petraeus. >> breaking news now. coming in regarding the chief of the cia. general david petraeus. >> general petraeus, request ca talk about this please? >> the news was unexpected, the reason can shoi reason c reason shocking. petraeus, a retired four-star general, quit his post and admitted he cheated on his wife. it was his biography, paula broadwell. it was an exit from the stage by one of the most respected public servants of his time. number five, super jumper felix
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baumgartner. let's face it, he did what no human has ever done, diving 24 miles from the edge of space, breaking the sound barrier along the way. >> i'm still the same guy, but as soon as you start traveling, people do recognize my face. >> i was scared. >> you were scared? >> i was a little bit scared. >> number four, new jersey governor chris christie. >> the shore and the boardwalk of seaside heights from my childhood no longer exist. >> thank you for everything. >> the rough and tumble governor took charge when a super storm named sandy ravaged his state days before the presidential election. a romney backer, suddenly christie was standing arm in arm with the president, praising mr. obama's leadership as they toured sandy's wrath. >> when you know you have responsibility for those folks, you could give a damn about the politics of things. i could care less today.
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>> number three, olympian gabby douglas. >> gabby douglas! >> one of the fab five of the london games, she captured our hearts, becoming the first african-american gymnast to win gold in both the individual all around and team competitions at the same olympics. >> i wanted to inspire a nation, and the whole point about this is inspire a generation, and i love that. >> she did just that. number two, school age activisted malala yusuf. she spoke against taliban rule. not yet a teenager, she dared to suggest that girls not only deserve but have a right to an education. >> i will get my education if it
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is in home school or any place. >> the taliban retaliated, hunting her down, shooting her in the neck and back. the attack outraged, even hardened pakistanis, and all around the world malala quickly became an international symbol of good against evil. today she is recovering in england. number one, president barack obama. >> tonight you voted for action. not politics as usual. >> after a long -- and we mean long and bitter campaign -- president obama won re-election. in 2012, the president also won the supreme court's stamp of approval for his health care reform program and made history with this statement. >> i think same-sex couples should be able to get married. ♪ >> as 2012 comes to a close, the president joined in grief with a
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community shocked by senseless violence. >> is these tragedies must ind. and to end them, we must change. >> brooke baldwin, cnn, atlanta. >> let's talk about another intriguing person. that would be santa claus because, as you might imagine, he's very busy already. norad, as usual, is tracking him this holiday season. we just got video in -- yes, video in of santa. he is now in japan and also in korea because santa can do anything. it's magic. he's delivering it in those countries. then he'll make his way closer to the united states around midnight or so and eat the cookies left by kids around the country and deliver presents to all the good children in america. we'll continue to track santa. we'll be right back.
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welcome to chevy's year-end event. so, the 5.3-liter v8 silverado can tow up to 9,600 pounds? 315 horsepower. what's that in reindeer-power? [ laughs ] [ pencil scratches ] [ male announcer ] chevy's giving more. get the best offer of the year -- 0% apr financing for 60 months plus $1,000 holiday bonus cash. plus trade up for an additional $1,000 trade-in allowance. hurry. bonus cash ends january 2nd.
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jamie foxx stars in the new quentin tarantino movie ""djang unchained," a violent movie. but after the sandy hook shooting, he said this. >> it tears you up. we have to do something. i think now i feel that everyone is really pulling together, and we have to make some serious change. >> that something may or may not include a serious discussion of violence in movies. foxx told monsters and critics, "we cannot turn our back and say that violence in films or anything that we do doesn't have a sort of influence, it does." but foxx's co-star samuel l. jackson doesn't see it that way. >> i don't think one has anything to do with the other. this is a western, and it's a period piece about slavery. america has a violent past. one thing has nothing to do with the other.
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that's definitely not life imitating art. >> it's art imitating life although we tend not to glorify it. to help stop gun violence. talk back today. should hollywood rethink violent movies? facebook.com/carolcnn. your comments later this hour. he has blood on his hands. shame on the nra. >> one of the protesters led away after disrupting the nra speech, calling for armed guards in schools, says the group has too much influence over elected officials, and that's not all she's saying. she'll join us live. f year agai. time for citi price rewind. because your daughter really wants that pink castle thing. and you really don't want to pay more than you have to. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price.
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right now in the newsroom, the opening bell rang at the stock exchange. stocks will close early, 1:00 eastern for the holiday. if you're wondering who's ringing the bell, these are the 12 festive dancers from the monte carlo. i wish they'd ring the bell every day, don't you? onto the news. u.s. senator michael crapo is apologizing after being arrested and charged with
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driving under the influence of alcohol. the idaho republican was pulled over early sunday after running a red light in alexandria, virginia. his blood alcohol level at the time was .110. the legal limit in virginia is .08. according to his biography, crapo is a mormon. as you know, mormons are prohibited from using alcohol. crapo has a court date set for january the 4th. "newsweek" has released a cover of its final print edition, featuring an archival photo of offices in new york. it reads #lastprintissue. the magazine will continue in the new year as a digital only publication. the nra is not can backing on its proposal calling for armed guards in every school in america after the december 14th massacre in newtown, connecticut. the 4 million member gun lobby has been criticized for coming out friday and stating its position to keep something like
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that from ever happening again. its ceo stood by the group's position on nbc's "meet the press." >> if it's crazy to call for putting police and armed security in our school to protect our children, then call me crazy. i'll tell you what, the american people -- i think the american people think it's crazy not to do it. >> one person who might think it's crazy that the nra's ceo wayne lapierre is advocating guns in schools is the co-director of the peace group code pink. >> he has blood on his hands. shame on the nra. >> that would be madea benjamin holding up a sign saying the nra has blood on its hands as she's led out of the room after disrupting lapierre's speech on friday. madea joins me now live from washington. good morning. >> many go, carol. happy holidays. thanks for having me on. >> thanks for being here. we did invite the nra, by the way, but they declined.
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i wanted to make it clear to everyone that they did do that. we reached out to you. you very kindly accepted. i was just curious. how did you get in? there were many security sweeps. there were bomb sniffing dogs. the nra was very careful to keep unwanteds out. how did you manage to get in? >> just slipped in under the radar. >> you guys do this a lot. you protest passionately against things in which you don't believe. do you have a plan in place before you go into these types of press conferences? >> well, actually, our plan in this case was to sit quietly and listen. i thought, perhaps naively, the nra sensed there was a mood change in the country and they were going to offer something, like an assault weapons ban. i was amazed to hear wayne lapierre coming out like a bully saying that what we needed was more guns. so we felt that that was our cue to get up and to protest. i think from the outpouring of
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support we've had around the country, people are really happy to see somebody stand up to the bullies in the leadership of the nra. >> you have that gigantic sign. where was that? how did you get that into the room? >> i just tucked that into my bag, carol. it was no problem. >> so do you think that your actions will have any concrete action as far as lawmakers go or what the country thinks? >> i think the message they're giving out about armed guards in the schools is something that people are really countering. why don't we have conflict resolution taught in the schools? why don't we bring back the school nurses and the guidance counselors who used to be able to detect and help troubled youth? there are so many more rational answers. of course, even the majority of the people in the nra and the country are saying, let's have a ban on assault weapons and those high capacity clips and stronger background checks. the country is ready for a
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rational gun policy, and we have to stop this cabal within the nra from dictating our policies. >> some people might say that your actions, as well-intentioned as they might be, kind of hurts the cause because you yourself seem kind of crazy. >> i don't think so. i think, as i said, we're getting so much support from people. the leadership of the nra doesn't even represent the majority of the people within the nra who want to see an assault weapons ban, who want to see a change in policy after 20 of our children got killed. i think i represent the rational majority that is no longer willing to be silent on these issues. >> medea benjamin, thanks a lot for coming in on christmas eve. we appreciate it. >> thank you so much for having me on. happy holiday. >> you too. several stars have come out with a plan for gun control. we'll bring you their message from hollywood. but is it enough? oh,this is jucier than i thought.
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♪ one more day till revolution we will nip it in the bud ♪ ♪ we'll be ready for these school boys ♪ ♪ they will wet themselves with blood ♪ >> i don't know about russell
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crowe's singing, how about you? anne hathaway already generating a lot of oscar buzz as best supporting actress for her role as fantine. >> what's your name? >> django. >> then you're exactly the one i'm looking for. >> another film making its debut tomorrow is quentin tarantino's django unchained. the film's premiere was delayed after newtown, but it's opening as scheduled. joining me is cnn's karyn winter. >> foxx is doing a whole lot these days. you can see his film comes out on christmas day. but he's a special part of this campaign acknowledging the tragedy at newtown, connecticut. we spoke to him after the newtown shooting, and at that time, he talked about how broken up he was by this incident and how the country needs to come
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together and make some changes. so foxx and a group of his celebrity friends, including beyonce, jennifer aniston, john legend, and will ferrell, they've all teamed up to film a public service announcement for the demand the plan campaign. >> columbine. >> virginia tech. >> tucson. >> aurora. >> ft. hood. >> oak creek. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> how many more? >> how many more? >> how many more colleges? >> how many more classrooms? >> how many more movie theaters? >> how many more houses of faith? >> how many more shopping malls. >> how many more street corners? >> how many more? >> how many more? >> enough. >> enough. >> enough. >> so many familiar faces there with the same message. carol, you know, this campaign is being funded by an organization called mayors against illegal guns. it's a bipartisan collection of more than 800 mayors who si say, quote, they're working to make america's community safer by
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keeping guns out of dangerous hands. you see this often in the hollywood community, carol. people coming together to really raise as much awareness as possible after such an extreme tragedy like this. >> i'm going to ask you this question. is hollywood itself doing any self-reflection about violent movies and glorifying violence and making killing cool? >> it's such a great point. for example, django, they had to reschedule their premiere. a lot of movies, for example, "parental control," they cancelled premieres. stars we spoke to at junkets were so sensitive about touching on the issue that those who did speak talked about steps hollywood needed to make to be accountable for everything going on. it's baby steps here, but you're not going to see this industry say we are to blame single handedly. again, awareness like this is really a starting point with foxx and all of his celebrity friends. >> it's just interesting to me,
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kareen that everybody is saying, it's not my fault. it's their fault. it the not my fault. it's their fault, and they're passing the buck. shouldn't we all reflect no matter who we are and what we do? we all live in the same culture, right? >> absolutely. valid point. that's a message that we're hearing here from studios. you can't just blame the things you see on the big screen. this starts with parents monitoring what children watch at an early level. commercials, marketing, advertising. there are many players involved. to point out one industry, again, we're doing our part. but to say this is the root of the problem isn't the message we're hearing here. >> kareen wynter, thanks so much. s the cold truth. i have a cold, and i took nyquil, but i'm still "stubbed" up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] it doesn't have a decongestant. no way.
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we have an update of santa's route. he follows every new year's. he just was in russia. now he's over the great wall of china. previous to that, he made his way to australia. you can see him flying past the famed opera house there. so he's delivered all of his presents in australia. all of the presents in russia. all the presents in japan, and
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also south korea, and, of course, now he's busy in china, on his way, of course, over here to the united states. we'll keep you posted. wreaths across america. it's a program that's become part of the healing process for military families around the holidays. today's giving in focus takes a look at a tree farm in maine that helps turn greece into finding peace. >> i know when chris died, we kept thinking about how we were going to remember him. and we kept thinking that his spirit was moving through the trees every time you saw them moving. i seem to be drawn to maine even though i've never lived here. it's pretty amazing. >> we're in the wreath business and have been since 1971. columbia falls is a little town in coastal washington county. the perfect little country town kind of thing. we're looking for 12 to 18-inch pieces. as fast as this brush is coming
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in, we're using it on the other end. we're out on the land that produces the tips for national wreaths across america day. >> each wreath is made of balsam that is picked off of our own land. it began as a family tradition to donate 5,000 wreaths to arlington national cemetery. >> a great source of pride for my family. it's our little way of giving back to the country is through the veterans wreaths program and the new veterans remembers trees program. >> that's captain brent morale, u.s. marine corps. this is another tree has been tagged. corporal benjamin cot, forever in my heart. >> this is a way of connecting the families of the veterans to the area. we saw as most our families came, both our mothers, they loved coming out and seeing where the balsom grew. >> this is the one where i got
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out of the car, and i knew it was part of chris' energy that was helping me pick it out. >> there he is. i put the picture one on there. >> christopher stonesifer was my son. he was born in august of '73, and he died 38 days after 9/11. the dog tags hang closer to the branches. the ribbon designates red, white, and blue that it's been dedicated to a loved one. they're never cut down. the greens that are cut down will be used for the wreaths that will go to arlington. that's an amazing gift that we as family members know that our loved ones will not be forgotten. [ woman ] ring. ring.
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talk back question of the morning. should hollywood rethink violent movies. kyle says, not unless you want to get rid of art and other things. where the killers dressed up in trench coats and tons of weapons wearing sunglasses. we need restrictions on guns,
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not movies. hollywood is not responsible for these killings. the person who kills children is responsible fnot guns, movies o games. this one, i just watched ram bo last night. i don't think the violence has changed much since '70s. not using hollywood as a scapegoat. facebook.com/carolcnn to respond. more of your responses in the next hour of "newsroom." a 9-year-old makes wishes for other children. you'll see her dream come true. in that time there've been some good days. and some difficult ones. but, through it all, we've persevered, supporting some of the biggest ideas in modern history.
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so why should our anniversary matter to you? because for 200 years, we've been helping ideas move from ambition to achievement. and the next great idea could be yours. ♪
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♪ have yourself a merry list christmas ♪ in an age of e-mails and tweets, it's nice to know a letter can be a powerful tool. it also helps with a powerful role model. that would be a 9-year-old. she got strangers to write letters to santa and that will bring joy to severely ill children just like gabriella. jay grey has the story. >> we have a mountain of letters
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here. >> reporter: this is a cramped foyer was transformed saturday into a remarkable repository of letters. >> here's a heavy bin. >> reporter: for weeks she and a small band of volunteers have been counting and reading. >> all i want is to merry justin bieber. i wish i could see you when you come out of the chim knee. >> reporter: they are handwritten from children around the world. >> most of them are one kid writing one letter at a time. >> reporter: instead of superficial demands. >> dear santa, my only wish is to have gabriella better. >> love jesse, merry christmas, i love you gabriella. >> reporter: a month ago they learned their vivacious 9-year-old girl had an inoperable brain tumor. thanks to make a wish, she gets
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to travel to paris. before going, this thoughtful fourth grader had a selfless epipha epiphany. she asked for letters to santa because macy's donates a letter back to make a wish. >> every night at some point i burst into tears because children are so good in their hearts. >> i will not stop praying for you. >> reporter: they blew past their goal of 10,000. >> each bag probably has a few thousand letters in it. >> reporter: social media made 50,000 a reality. >> it's building her spirits that otherwise might have felt lonely and dark. >> reporter: then all expectations were shattered. 100,000 became 150,000, which morphed into more than 200,000 letters. a moving company donated a truck. the u.s. postal service, bags
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and carts. this avalanche of love could be delivered to macy's. >> it highlights when the community can do when they believe. fst pretty incredible. >> reporter: despite treatments which is where gabriella made her first public appearance. hundreds filled the area to support a girl who some bo liezs so much of what we admire. >> on behalf of make a wish foundation, we thank you for everything that you have done. >> reporter: then chris made the announcement. >> 240,983. >> reporter: what happened next no one expected. one final letter would be read. >> dear santa, i'm gab yes, ma'am la, the one with the tumor. make a wish has really helped me. >> reporter: cancer makes her weak, but you can hear her strength in every word. >> i want to say one more thing. this is my motto and i think you yao should used it too. you might have a bad day today
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but there's something to look forward to tomorrow. look inside. what's your bright side? thank you. happy holidays. >> reporter: it's impossible to calculate a love that starts in a girl's heart, travels around the world and returns with the gift of hope. >> you go gabriella. macy's has donated an additional $25,000 in gabriella's name to the make a wish foundation. that will allow 36 children to see their wishes come true. the next hour of cnn "newsroom" starts right now. stories we're watching. it's the rush to get to the store for those last-minute gifts. if you're one of them, some good bargains could be coming your
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way. eight days to go and nobody is in washington. the price of certain guns doubling in the wake of the shootings in newtown, connecticut, to match the enormous demand for assault weapons. and wounded veterans working through christmas. their thoughts are with friends overseas who couldn't make it home for the holidays. "newsroom" starts now. good morning. thank you for being with me. i'm carol costello. with the president and congress spending christmas away from washington, prospects seem bleak for a deadline. joe lieberman puts the potential failure in historic perspective. >> i feel it's more likely we will go over the cliff than not and if we allow that to happen, it will be the most colossal,
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consequential act of congressional irresponsibility in a long time. maybe ever in history. >> when i listen to the president, i think the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes. he sees a political victory. he gets the additional tax revenue. he gets to cut the military. and he gets to blame republicans for it. >> white house correspondent brianna keilar is traveling with the president in hawaii. she joins us live from honolulu. people are talking as though going over the cliff is a reality already. what are you hearing? >> reporter: that is what we're hearing. there's a lot of blame going around. that's some public posturing. when it comes to the reality of whether going over the cliff is a possibility, it's not just what we're hearing publicly but privately from democrats and republicans. and also it's important to focus
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on this sort of not encouraging fact, carol. there are no discussions going on now between the folks who need to work out some sort of deal here. the white house and senate democrats are not in touch with house republicans and that's key because the senate is going to be reconvening on thursday. anything that gets through congress would need to pass the senate and house with both democratic and republican support. we're also expecting that president obama will likely return to washington, d.c. at this point it seems more a matter of when and not really matter of if. and then right now the plan that the white house is trying to push forward is to deal with the tax hikes for those earning $250,000 or less. it appears those spending cuts that are the other part of the fiscal cliff will likely set in. and then what happens there will maybe be something that
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democrats and republicans try to deal with in the coming weeks, in the coming months. that means even come say the end of the year here or if we go over the cliff and there's some quick resolution, it's not for everything and we'll be dealing with a lot of these problems for some time, carol. >> what's the president doing in hawaii? >> reporter: the president has been getting in some r and r. he arrived saturday morning. he played golf with some of his buddies. he wept outer with his wife. yesterday he attended the ceremony for senator daniel inn way. and then he went for a hike in the afternoon with his daughters. this may be his one chance for a vacation and you may recall he didn't get one this summer. he decided not to go on his normal vacation in the election year. so this is really it for him. >> brianna keilar, thank you.
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the gun control debate is intensifying. the nra's executive vice president made the circuit on sunday morning. he went on "meet the press" saying call me crazy. i believe that's what we must do. the nra's president told "face the nation" a ban on assault weapons will not stop mass killings. >> if we're willing to debate the question of the semi automatic, so-called assault weapons, we have debated it before. we had an assault weapons ban for ten years. we had what senator feinstein is suggest i suggesting. it was allowed to expire. the fbi and justice department and others who study it said it made no difference. >> if kansas crazy to call for putting police in our school toss protect our children, then call me crazy. >> despite the national rifle association's opposition to any new gun laws president obama
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insists inaction is not an option. "the new york times" is reporting some guns normally selling for around $650 on gunbroker.com were going for more than $1,000 in recent days. many gun shop owners say sales are enormous. they are booming. >> we're looking at more. >> this army veteran is in the market checking out the gun show. the price was not right. >> they are going for $1,000 more. so they priced me out of the market. >> reporter: an assault-style that a week ago ran around $900 now runs from $1,500 to $2,500. >> they are taking advantage of the people. >> reporter: gun stores are
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seeing big crowds. >> when we got there, it was only two customers. but within 15 minutes the place got crowded. >> the rush to arm disgusts this lifr. >> when i saw the pricing and an overwhelming inventory of assault rifles, i was like, okay, so we're trying to cash in on the connecticut thing here. i'm saddened by it. i'm really turned off. >> reporter: since the shooting in connecticut, the assault weapon debate is on. >> leave the assault rifles to the law enforcement. let's stick with the basics. shotgun, rifle, that's really all the power you need. >> i'm going to take my chances and wait until they start debating on this. it's a gamble. >> it's the world's largest firearm supplier sold three and a half years worth of ammo
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magazines for the gun in three days. the country is divide on the issue while leaders in congress decide on the best way to have that conversation or what action should we consider. dana bash is in washington. what are lawmakers saying? are some of them sticking by their guns and saying there needs to be more gun laws or are they sofltening their stand now? >> i do not detect a wide number of republicans softening their stance when it comes to gun rights. at the same time, they don't seem to be running towards the idea that the nra laid out on friday, which is to put armed police officers at every school in this country. not even close. listen to what two republican senators said about that idea yesterday. >> we had an armed guard in columbine. we had an assault ban.
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neither one of them worked. we're talking about preventing mass murder. people who are not traditionallitraditionally criminals. i don't know if there's anything lindsey graham to stop somebody there's hell bents on doing this. >> the president is eager to go over the cliff for political purposes. hee sees a political victory. he gets tax revenue for programs and cut the military which democrats have been calling for for years and he gets to blame republicans for it. >> that's obviously jon talking about the fiscal cliff. but he also said yesterday that he thinks that the whole concept of putting any armed police officers at schools should be done at the local level, if at all. the big push at the nra is to make it a federal program and it should be funded by the federal
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government by congress. so it does not look like there's going to be a lot of support for that right now. i've been struck talking to republicans sources. republican sources at how turned off a lot of people were by wayne louisiana pair. more so with the tone and the way he delivered the message. i talked to one republican in congress who said that it seemed like it was a time war. he was very aggressive and he didn't seem to be sort of getting the sentiment of where we are now. >> so listening to lindsey graham saying there's not much we can do to stop someone who is not wired right and talking to the number of lawmakers that you have talked to, after the first of the year when dianne feinstein says she's going to introduce this bill, how likely is it to pass and how likely is anything to happen as far as gun control is concerned? >> there's no question that the
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sentiment has shift ed. we have been reporting on joe mansion who was an a vid supporter saying he's flipped and he wants there to be gun control measures. but he is a pretty safe senator when it comes to the politics of his state. he could be senator for life if he wants to, he's very popular. there are other people up for reelection who are not as safe. they are from gun rights states. many of them are democrats. it's still going to be an uphill battle. there's no chemical weapon about it. it goes back to what we have been talking about since this horrible tragedy happened, which is the main reason why democrats have silent until the newtown tragedy is because it's bad politics. many of them have believed that for the past decade. bad politics in red states to even talk about the idea of gun control. not so much because of the money that the nra puts in but because
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they are very powerful in ginning up membership. it's very big. and they are pretty powerful and go out and vote in a lot of the key districts and states. >> dana bash, reporting live from washington. northern californians are sloging through another day of wet and windy weather after two storms slammed the area. the rain and high winds causing major flight delays pl travelers are facing trouble after officials were forced to close a major highway due to snowy conditions. meteorologist bonnie snider is here to tell us what more we can expect as christmas approaches. >> unfortunately, we're still looking at some stormy conditions. but this time it's across the south. in fact, right now what we're looking at is very heavy rain south of the atlanta with frequent lightning strikes. you're probably wondering how does this impact travel? for those flying we have already reports of airport delays in atlanta 15 minutes now but
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expect them to increase. we're also anticipating delays not too far away in charlotte and the midwest. this nay be good news for those planning a ski vacation. but it could slow you down in airports. christmas day, dangerous conditions. the threat for tornadoes. possibly strong ones with damaging hail and strong winds as well. this is all across areas into louisiana and mississippi and as far to the east as atlanta. the system that's going to create these troubles for christmas day is the one bringing the snowfall to the west. as it drops into texas, it will tap into moisture from the gulf. that will create heavy rain by tuesday afternoon. we're looking at heavy rain across much of louisiana into southern mississippi, alabama, and georgia. then as we start talking about the day after christmas, that storm system slides further to the north.
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you're likely to see more snow the day after christmas in places like arkansas. it will work its way to the northeast. we're going to see the colder air moving eastward and we're likely to see snowfall as we go into the day after christmas for a places like boston and new york. but overall travels tough in the northeast. the rain is coming down heavy and hard in the southeast. >> good advice for us. but santa, nothing slows santa down. we just said he was in china. he was in china just 15 minutes ago. there are 1.3 billion people. santa has managed to gift every one of those people there and now he's in the philippines. kids, get ready. get the milk and cookies going. we'll be right back. hey! did you know that honey nut cheerios
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16 minutes past the hour. time to check on our top stories. firefighters responding to a blaze in new york were shocked this morning. the two firefighters were killed and two others were wounded in the incident. fire spread to a second house in the neighborhood but gunfire stopped firefighters from battling that blaze. senator michael crapo apologizing for dui arrest. his blood alcohol level w was .110. the legal limit in virginia is .08. a court date has been set for january 4th. opposition groups in egypt challenging results.
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64% of egyptians voted in favor. official results are due later today. the voting came amid-street battles between supporters and protesters. opposition groups said they were kept out of the drafting of the constitution. chile issued a red alert that a volucano could erupt. back here in the united states, while many americans are rushing out to the malls today to do last-minute christmas shopping, more people are deciding to shop onlines. the digital information provider said shoppers spent $3.7 billion online. that's up 53%. for those who waited until the last minute, they are going to get plenty of company. 17 million expected to pack the stores today. that's according to a poll by
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consumer reports. many fight good bargains. alasison kosik is at the new yo stock exchange. >> what do you think? are you going to battle the crowds? >> i'm done. it's a miracle i know. >> you are one of the few because a lot of people aren't finished. 17 million are expected to pile into the stores today. consumer reports put out a survey that it conducted and it found 67% of shoppers are not finished yet. 14% have yet to start. you'll probably find a lot of bargains, toys, winter clothes, other items that retailers want off the shelves. it's not what last-minute shoppers are going to be looking for. over half said they are going to grab a gift card because they want to get out of the crowds out there today. wine and liquor, they are popular last-minute choices.
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27% will give cash. got to give an iou, couldn't get you a gift yet. >> i would be so mortified. i wouldn't even say that. i would say i forgot. we're going to have bad weather. you heard bonnie tell us minutes ago that tornadoes are out there. maybe a snowstorm or two. how might that affect deliveries. >> it's not going to be a huge concern, but you can expect some delays for packages. fedex issued a service adviser saying it expected some issues in iowa, michigan, wisconsin and nebraska. but it also says plans are in place. there weren't service advisories on upa websites. you have to remember that the surge in online shopping, that has an impact. shippers have had a huge increase in volume this holiday season. they have had some of their it best and busiest single days
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ever. ups made 28 million deliveries last thursday. fedex moved 19 million packages. the postal service moved 658 million pieces of mail on december 17th. the weather is going to complicate issues a bit. >> carol, just so they get there. it's the thought that counts. >> exactly. that's what ious are for. >> alison kosik, thanks so much. doomsday tourists who flooded guatemala thinking the end of the world is near caused irreparable damage to the ancient mayan temple. 7,000 people flocked to the area. some of them getting out of control. they climbed up the temple for the ultimate experience. they are not allowed to do that and caused lasting damage. a protester calls the nra a
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bully and explains her reason for disrupting a press conference. we'll be back. when you have diabetes... your doctor will say get smart about your weight. that's why there's glucerna hunger smart shakes. they have carb steady, with carbs that digest slowly
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are getting ready to celebrate christmas which marks the birth of jesus. here's a look at bethlehem. described in the booib as the birs place of jesus. 2 million people make the journey each and every christmas. the pope also preparing to deliver his christmas eve mass in rome. the pope has a new book out
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debunging several myths. the accepted dait is several years off. he points to a blunder by a moonk for the mixup. one of the big stories of the day. the question for you, should hollywood rethink violent movies? this christmas eve the stars unite for gun control in this new public service announcement. >> columbine. >> virginia tech. >> tucson. >> aurora. >> fort hood. >> oak creek. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> newtown. >> how many more? >> how many more? >> this plea to get guns off our streets includes jamie fox who stars in a new movie djangle. fox said he thought of his own children after the shooting. >> it tears you up.
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it's really getting dangerous. we have to do something. and i think now i feel that everyone is really pulling together and we have o to make some serious change. >> that's something that may include a discussion of violence in movies. we cannot turn our back and say violence in films or anything we do doesn't have a sort of influence, it does. but fox's co-star does not see it that way. >> i don't think one has anything to do with the other. it's a western. it's a period piece about slavery. america has a violent past. one thing doesn't have anything to do with it. it's not life-imitating art. >> it's art imitating life, although we tend not to glorify murder or make clever jokes
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after killing in real life, at least we hope so. following sandy hook, hollywood delayed screenings of django out of respect. but the violence is help postponing a movie that glorifies violence? the talk back question. should hollywood rethink violent movies? sound off on facebook or send me a tweet. we'll be right back. it's lots of things. all waking up. connecting to the global phenomenon we call the internet of everything. ♪ it's going to be amazing. and exciting. and maybe, most remarkably, not that far away. we're going to wake the world up. and watch, with eyes wide, as it gets to work. cisco. tomorrow starts here. cisco. progressive direct and other car insurance companies? yes. but you're progressive, and they're them. yes.
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let me put you on webcan... ...lean roasted chicken... and a creamy broth mmm i can still see you. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. good morning. i'm carol costello. thank you for joining me this morning.
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30 minutes past the hour. here's some great christmas news. a former u.s. marine reunites after his family. john hammer was on his way to a surfing vacation in august when he was arrested by mexican authorities on a questionable gun charge. u.s. lawmakers stepped in on hammer's behalf helping secure his release. former british prime minister margaret thatcher is recovering in the hospital. she's doing absolutely fine after undergoing surgery last week to remove a growth in her gladder. the 87-year-old is expected to remain in the hospital through christmas. congress and the president have stopped trying for now to avoid the fiscal cliff. they are home for the holidays. and wl not all that optimistic about a christmas miracle to prevent us from falling off the fiscal cliff. the protester on friday says her actions came in response to the nra chief's call for armed guards in every school.
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>> code pink co-director unfurled a sign you saw there saying the nra had blood on its hands. she was led out by security. i talked with her last hour about her protest. >> first of all, i was just curious, how did you get in? there were many security sweeps and bomb-sniffing dogs. they were careful to keep unwanteds outside. >> just slipped in under the radar. >> you guys do this a lot. you protest passionately against things you don't believe. do you have a plan in place before you go into these types of press conferences? >> well, actually, our plan in this case was to sit quietly and listen. i thought perhaps naively that the nra since there was a mood change in the country and they
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were going to offer something like assault weapons ban, but i was amazed to hear wayne lapierre coming out like a bully saying what we needed was more guns. so we felt that that was our cue to get up and protest. and i think from the outpouring of support we have had around the country, people are really happy to see somebody stand up to the bullies in the leadership of the nra. >> but you have that gigantic sign. where was that? how did you get that in the room? >> i tucked that into our bag. >> do you think your actions will have any concrete action as far as lawmakers go or what the country thinks? >> i think that the message that they are giving out about armed guards in the schools is something that people are really countering, why don't we have conflict resolution taught in the schools?
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why don't we bring back the school nurses and the guidance counselors who used to be able to help troubled youth. there's so many more rational answers. even the majority of people in the nra and the country are saying let's have a ban on assault weapons and stronger background checks. the country is ready for a national gun policy. we have to stop this within the nra from dictating our policies. >> some people might say that your actions, as well-intenti well-intentioned as it might be, because you yourself seem kind of crazy. >> i don't think so. i think we're e getting so much support from people. the leadership of the nra doesn't even represent the people who want to e see an assault weapons ban, who want to see a change in policy after 20 of our children got killed. i think i represent the rational
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majority that's no longer willing to be silent on these issues. >> thank you so much for coming in on christmas eve. we appreciate it. >> thank you for having me on. happy holidays. >> we did reach out to the nra to join us, but they declined our invitation. i drew the short straw and i have to work on christmas so i went home over the weekend for a celebration with my family. it was fantastic and at times it got testy because when you go home this holiday season you will talk about newtown and you will talk about guns. and at times the conversation will be passionate. how do you manage that without tearing down the tree? so my family we didn't tear down the tree, but sometimes i thought we might. i wanted to discuss that with both of you because you're from vasty different parts of the country. you live in michigan. how will the conversation go around the dinner table?
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>> well, first of all, let me say there are two michigans. there's eastern michigan and there's western michigan. eastern michigan is much more urban and the attitudes are more along the lines of ban everything. and i grew up in a town in detroit in which a lot of teens were being killed before they reached their 16th birthday. that's the impetus behind banning everything. the rest of the state is more rural. there's a lot of hunters and people who are pro-gun and it's very conservative. but i will tell you this. all 21 superintendents in my county since signed a letter asking the governor not to approve a law that would have allowed guns in schools amongst other places. it's not as extreme as you would think. so all that to say, i think people in michigan on both sides of the state are open and willing and wanting some sort of
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restrictions so we don't see what happened in newtown, aurora, arizona, some of the other mass shootings that we have seen this year happen in 2013. >> okay, so will, you're from texas. you know what everybody thinks about texas. ain't going to be argument there is because you all agree. >> that's kind of true. it's a stereotype, but i have to be honest. that's a good point being made going around the table. that being said, you have to learn how tough, and many people do, have conversations with people that disagree with you. as difficult as it is in the weeks after newtown, the way to have a conversation about guns, the way to have an intelligent conversation about moat things is try to separate yourself from the emotion. especially trying to debate a public policy issue. if you're looking for a solution that involves a law, you have to have a rational conversation. to me, that it begins with trying to put the problem in context and the truth is when it comes to crime, violent crime in
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america, we're at a 40-year low. we returned to 1970s level. six of the deadliest 12 of the mass shootings has happened since 2007. the ap reported they are on the decline. we have to put it into a broad context and ask yourself there, will it work and what is the cost imposed upon that context? >> i think shootings are up 20% and the reason that there are -- that gun deaths haven't increased is because we have medical care. i disagree with you on one point about the conversation though. because i think that you should have a passionate, emotional conversation and get everything out there on the table. because only then can you really understand the other side and in my family in ohio, it's sort of the same in michigan. it's different in cleveland than it is where my parents live.
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completely different views on guns. but i think if you get everything out there and understand the other side, only then can you have a rational discussion. >> i do this for a living. so if your goal is to come to some level of understanding as you just said, i have never found that the more emotional the conversation is the more productive it is towards reaching that understand. i have found the more e emotional it is, the more people turn off the listening ears and get angry. they don't find understanding and they don't find solutions. >> what do you think? >> i think will and i have two different approach when is it comes to touchy subjects. we do this for a living and end up on the opposite sides most times and it's because i don't leave my emotions at the door when i walk in. i understand though these are numbers, these numbers represent people. and the people have families. they have friends, loved ones, so when i talk about statistics, i don't do it in an empty
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vacuum. it comes with emotions. and when it comes to having an emotional conversation doesn't mean you check your facts at the door. what we do, if we're engaged in a conversation, we keep our iphones handy because we fact check each other. if we're wrong on facts, we actually go back and say, i guess i was wrong or right. but trying to have a conversation about something as tragic without emotions is not -- i don't think a logical way of having a conversation. >> just some food for thought for everyone. >> i got my iphone. i'm going to check my shootings. everybody has a fact checker on them. >> that's a good idea actually. >> my son checks me all the time. >> good for him. lz, will, thanks so much. how did they tie the knot?
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the latest on this rolling stones weekend. hmm, it says here that cheerios helps lower cholesterol as part of a heart healthy diet. that's true. ...but you still have to go to the gym. ♪ the one and only, cheerios [ buzzing ] bye dad. drive safe. k. love you. [ chirping, buzzing continues ] [ horn honks ] [ buzzing continues ] [ male announcer ] the sprint drive first app. blocks and replies to texts while you drive. we can live without the &. visit sprint.com/drive.
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we heard wedding bells for ronnie wood. the son reporting the 65-year-old guitarist married
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34-year-old theater producer in lond london. so tell us more. >> i wish we had the details, but nothing wrong with that. they keep everything private. we were able to dig a little in terms of getting some details in trying to confirm this, but we'll have to see what else comes out. look at that. beautiful picture of them standing there together. we're going to be digging more on that story. but we have news on another rocker for you. eddie vedder, we have heard so much about them helping with the concert for the storms. he's one of the underwriters behind this huge concert. he performed the 121212 concert. they scheduled for january 2nd in asbury park.
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the organizers here say the proceeds from the concert will go to local jersey shore nonprofit organizations like coastal habitat for humanity. even though there was a huge push after the devastation, there's so much more to do here with the holidays people still trying to get back on their feet. >> paul mccartney is doing something too right? >> he's donating a song to the songs after sandy album. the track is called "i've got a feeling." it does add some star power to the cd. we have other artists that will be participate iing. some local bands from brooklyn, the. mccartney released a statement saying "in the wake of the devastation it's good to know so many are getting together to provide relief for those who
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suffered the most." another example of stars coming together especially during the holidays. stepping up. there's so many people still affected and suffering. trying to rebound from that sto storm. >> thanks so much. you've heard about the fiscal cliff. what about the dairy cliff? there's a dairy cliff. we'll tell you $7 for a gallon of milk. it may happen. that's next. to dream about that steak. i'm going to dream about that tiramisu. what a night, huh? but, um, can the test drive be over now? head back to the dealership? [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. but we still need your signature. volkswagen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a passat. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today. in that time there've been some good days.
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47 minutes past the hour. time to check the top stories. "new york times" reporting amazon is cracking down on book reviews by deleting thousands of them from their website. writers may be paying people to write a great book review in order to boost sales. amazon has not officially offered a public explanation. "newsweek" released the cover for the final print edition. fixing the old and new, the cover reads "last print issue." the magazine could no longer afford to produce a print version and will continue as a digital-only publication. she's too irresistible. that's what the iowa supreme court ruled in the case of dental hygienist maine lis ta
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nelson. she worked there for 20 years because he found her too attractive. a potential target to his marriage. don't no i why it took him eight years to figure that out, but it's america. this movie "the hobbit" is still number one at the box office. it's the second straight week it's outpaced the competition in ticket sales. call it the wheel of misfortune, a contestant was on her way to winning several thousands dollars on wheel of fortune. when she had the answer to the puzzle or so she thought. listen. >> "g." >> there's a "g." >> i'd like to solve the puzzle. >> she's a navy reserve intell
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specialist in florida. her southern accent may have caused her thousands of dollars. instead of saying swimming, she swallowed the letter "g" and said swimmin'. your taxes might not be the only thing that goes over the new year. milk prices could skyrocket to $7 a gallon. i'm still reeling from "wheel of fortune." >> they should have given it it to her. >> ask her to repeat it. she would have put the right ending on. >> but wasn't that implied though? they should have cut her a break. >> i know. let's talk about milk now. >> $7, that's enough to make your eyes pop out if you're strolling in the dairy aisle. but it could be a reality. while our elected officials continue playing chicken with our taxes, they are ignoring
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other pressing matters as well. like the agriculture bill. the way this law is the government actually steps in if the price of milk drops by about half from the current national average of $3.65 a gallon. so the government does it to keep dairy farmers in business. here's the thing with this. this dairy subsidy expires on january 1st. so if a new bill is not passed or if the current one is not extended, the formula used to calculate what the government pays reverts back to a statute passed in 1949 which has the government buying milk at a much higher price. the result is $7 a gallon for milk. >> so is there anything we can do? >> there is something you can do. choose to not buy it or suck it up and buy the milk. but here's the thing. it's not just milk. it's anything made with milk. we're talking about cheese and everything else. and farmers are going to reap
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the rewards with higher profits at first but that wouldn't last long because con soumers will cut back on dairy or find an alternative. it's the reason why it's called the dairy cliff. >> that's drew. i've heard goat milk is good but you can't smell it. >> never tried it. >> maybe some day we'll try it together. alison kosik, thank you so much. wounded veterans work iing through christmas as they recover from injuries. their thoughts though are with their friends overseas who couldn't make it home for the holidays. [ sniffs ] i have a cold.
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we told you earlier about the firefighters responding to a fire and they were shot instead. we have an update. these are live pictures from webster, new york. webster is near rochester. the firefighters were killed as they were fighting a fire. two others were wounded. wroc has more information for you. >> reporter: -- >> we're going to try to cue up that tape. obviously that report is on tape.
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but any way those firefighters were shot. we don't know whether the firefighters had something to do with setting the fire. we had early reports of that. but we just don't know. and then two other firefighters responded. they were also shot. do we have wroc now? the firefighters weren't able to put out blaze because it was too dangerous. we don't know who was firing the gun in this incident. we do know the firefighters were killed. this was in upstate new york. it's frigid there, as you can see. o do we have that report now? we're going to have to go to a break. we'll get that report for you. we'll be right back. again? it's embarrassing it's embarrassing! we can see you carl. we can totally see you. come on you're better than this...all that prowling around. yeah, you're the king of the jungle. have you thought about going vegan carl? hahaha!! you know folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to geico sure are happy. how happy are they jimmy? happier than antelope with night-vision goggles.
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told you earlier that two firefighters were killed as they responded to a fire in new york near rochester. two other firefighters were injured when they attempted to flight this blaze. here's wroc. >> reporter: these neighbors are shocked. it's nothing they expect ever to happen in this community. they were so surprised when they woke up this morning. a lot of these neighbors along the water here. they could see from their window, see the flames. some of them calling 911. some of them calling friends and family who live on the other side of the water. some of them unfortunately unable to get in contact with those people that they know. unable to drive down lake road because it is blocked off. i want